Orangutan: The Man of the Forest

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Orangutan: The Man of the Forest
By Irina Ignatova

So what exactly makes us feel so mesmerized with the orangutan, the only great ape living in Asia?

Like Scottish Lord Monboddo had said back in 1774, this highly intelligent animal is very similar to our own species, in so many different ways which until today we may not even have fully grasped.

Famous Swedish zoologist of the 18th century Carl Linnaeus admitted that he “could not discover the difference between man and the orangutan ...”. (2)

German philosopher Immanuel Kant even went as far as to suggest that:

It is possible for a chimpanzee or an orangutan, by perfecting its organs, to change at some future date into a human being. Radical alterations in natural conditions may force the ape to walk upright, accustom its hands to the use of tools, and learn to talk. (3)

When we look into the orangutan’s eyes, what is it that we see?

Visit the web site for the rest of the article; a lot of information on its habitat, food, and their importance to the rainforests. Great site!